Obituary

Evening Kansan Republican, Friday, January 8, 1937

Agnes Dearmin Dillman, more familiarly known to her many close friends as "Ag" Dillman, passed away Sunday noon, January 3, 1937 at the Axtell Christian Hospital in Newton, Kansas. She was ill but a short time, having been taken to the hospital a week before, after which she suffered a light stroke of paralysis, from which she never recovered. She was 75 years, three months and four days at the time of her death.

Mother Dillman survived her husband, the late William Thomas Dillman, a few more than three years, he having passed away July 16, 1933.

They came to Harvey county as young pioneers fifty-five years ago. Leaving Bloomington, Indiana in the fall of 1881, they spent more than thirty days in a prairie schooner, trudging their way to Harvey county, Kansas, where they arrived, Oct. 26, 1881. For a few weeks they lived near Newton and then established their permanent home in the Hesston community where the Dillman family has long been a familiar and revered household. The nine children reared in that home, all attended the same rural district school and have all established homes in Harvey county where they are all highly respected. Sixteen years ago Mr. and Mrs. Dillman retired from the active farm life and moved to Newton where they could enjoy the convenience of a more quite existence.

Agnes Dermin, daughter of James R. and Martha (Kelly) Dearmin was born near Bloomington, Indiana, September 29, 1861, just at the outset of the Civil War. Two years later her father gave his life in defense of his country at the battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 19, 1963. She was the youngest of a family of five children, three brothers and two sisters. She was the last surviving relative of this family. Her only sister, Florence, known to a great many in this city passed away about a year ago.

She grew to womanhood in her native state and was united in marriage to William Thomas Dillman, Dec. 6, 1879. To this union were born nine children; eight sons and one daughter. One son, Lon, died Feb. 1, 1932. The other eight children, all residents of this county, remain to carry on the honored memory and name of this pioneer home. They are: Mrs. Clayton (May) Zimmerman, Zimmerdale; Fred Dillman, Newton; Charles, Howard and Desrmin, Hesston; Carl, Halstead and Dewey and Lawrence W., of Newton. Among the families of these children there are 26 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

In early life she joined the Christian church at Clear Creek, Ind., and has always lived the life of a Christian wife and mother.

Funeral services were held at the First Christian church of Newton at 2:30, January 6, 1937, conducted by the Rev. Logan Martin pastor of the church and Rev. F. U. Moyer, long time friend of the family. Entombment was made in Greenwood Abbey, Newton. Walter McFarlane, Ira Spangler, Charles Deschner, Kirk Scott, Lee Benfer and Lester Monroe as pall bearers. Mrs. John England, Mrs. Archie Grimm and Carl Scott sang, "Lead Kindly Light", "Ivory Places," and "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere" at the church and one verse of "Going Home," at the mausoleum, accompanied by Miss Lucille Hupp.